1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to generally to endoscopes and endoscopic procedures. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for facilitating insertion of a flexible endoscope along a tortuous path, such as for colonoscopic examinations and treatment.
2. Background of Related Art
Endoscopic devices are used in a variety of different diagnostic and interventional procedures, including colonoscopy, bronchoscopy, thoracoscopy, laparoscopy and video endoscopy.
For example, in a colonoscopy a flexible endoscopic device is inserted into a patient's colon for diagnostic examination and/or surgical treatment of the colon. The endoscopic device may include a fiberoptic imagining bundle or a miniature camera located at the distal tip. The device may further include one or more instrument channels that may be used for insufflation or irrigation, air and water channels, and vacuum channels. The endoscopic device is inserted via the patient's anus and is advanced through the colon, allowing direct visual examination of the colon, the ileocecal valve and portions of terminal ileum.
Insertion of the endoscopic device is complicated by the fact that the gastrointestinal tract represents a tortuous and convoluted path. Considerable manipulation of the endoscopic device is often necessary to advance the endoscopic device through the tract, making the procedure more difficult and time consuming and adding to the potential for complications, such as intestinal perforation. Steerable colonscopes and other endoscopic devices have been devised to facilitate selection of the correct path through the curves of the gastrointestinal tract. Various steerable endoscopes, catheters and insertion devices for medical examination or treatment are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,543,090; 5,337,732; 5,383,852; 5,487,757; 5,624,381; 5,662,587; and 5,759,151 and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0089531. However, in each of these devices a user is required to visualize the position of the operative end of the device relative to the lumen wall and manually guide the device to the desired location within the gastrointestinal tract.
It would therefore be beneficial to have an endoscopic device capable of sensing its position within a lumen and steering itself to a desired location.